 BY MATTHEW ALBRIGHT | Staff writer Gun violence in Baton Rouge is down from last year's record highs, but it's still significantly above the previous normal. One of the latest victims: 21-year-old Albert Hawkins, who loved his job at the hospital and was studying cooking. We talked to Hawkins' mother about how his death, seemingly a result of an argument that got out of control, has upended her life. Today, a suspect in Hawkins' slaying led police on a chase that ended when he slammed into two other cars, putting himself and two other people in the hospital, Baton Rouge Police said.
Have you ever wanted to just get away from it all? Rinker Buck did that by building a wooden flatboat, which he christened "Patience," and set off on a journey to float 2,000 miles down the Mississippi River. He has a new book about the experience. Here's a Q&A with him about what it was like and what he learned.
Who's gonna be LSU's QB1? With the season drawing near, there's still no clear answer. Here's what Brian Kelly is saying about how he'll referee one of the most closely watched quarterback battles in college football. | 
